“Mom, come quick—the baby won’t stop crying and the dog just died!” *** Our first baby. The baby we didn’t know we desperately wanted until we learned he was on the way. Twelve years into our marriage, the news surprised us. That was the first surprise. I discovered during the hottest summer in twenty-five years that a pre-born is a portable heat generator. Our dishwasher rolled over and died. I couldn’t tell if the cloud was smoke or me steaming. I’d never have believed I’d be seen in public wearing a Hawaiian muumuu and no makeup. One surprising fact followed […]

“Is this your youngest? He’s so tall! When did he mature so much?” Startled, I looked at my son through my friend’s eyes. He had grown tall. How had I missed this latest spurt? How long was I not really paying attention? Once I’d had every eyelash, every mole, each dimpled finger memorized; his hairline mapped out; the pitch of his voice was the refrain that wound through my mind like an 8-track loop. What things had I put my whole self into instead? A novel or a project can capture my focus, so my attention and energy converge to […]

I decided one year that Mom needed a break from cooking the whole Thanksgiving dinner. She and Dad determined still to have it at their house. They would provide the big pull-out table and some side dishes, while traveling relatives could bring fresh fruit and relishes. It was my graduation from Pillsbury Crescent Rolls and Niblets. I would roast (heavenly choir sings) The Turkey. In preparation, I watched PBS cooking shows and checked out cookbooks from the library. I even found a video for my husband on how to carve a turkey. Thus equipped, I felt confident. After all, I […]